


Hogwarts: The Next Generation

by Watermelonsmellinfellon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A Slytherin Potter, A Slytherin Weasley, Adventure, Black Lordship, Dementors (Harry Potter) - Freeform, Elder Wand, Elemental Magic, Eventual Romance, Evil, Fantasy, Giants, Grimmauld Place, Inter-House Unity, Invisibility Cloak, Magical Inheritance, Mild Language, Minor Character Death, Other, Peverell Lordship, Potter Lordship, Rebellion, Resurrection Stone, Slytherins that are Okay Morally, The Deathly Hallows, The Marauder's Map, Vampires, Were-Creatures, muggle technology and magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-11
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-01 00:49:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2753420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Watermelonsmellinfellon/pseuds/Watermelonsmellinfellon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now the next generation is upon the school. Albus Potter starts his first year, just as new plans are set into motion. Soon, the wizarding world will be in peril once again. Revelations, magic, death, fighting, surprising friendships, and so much more await the young Potter. But with his friends and family by his side, Albus can handle it all. Certainly. *A/N: Rating may change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. September 1st

**Author's Note:**

> This starts right after the end of the last Harry Potter book. Epilogue: Nineteen Years Later.

**A/N: Hello, people!**

**I don't own Harry Potter or the excerpt from the last chapter of Deathly Hallows.**

**I have no beta, though this chapter was surprise beta'd by** _**flamingpen18** _ **. Thanks!**

**ENJOY!**

**(Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 37 Epilogue: Nineteen Years Later… near the ending, last page.)**

_"Why are they all staring?" demanded Albus as he and Rose craned around to look at the other students._

_"Don't let it worry you," said Ron. "It's me, I'm extremely famous."_

_Albus, Rose, Hugo, and Lily laughed. The train began to move, and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's thin face, already ablaze with excitement. Harry kept smiling and waving, even though it was like a little bereavement, watching his son glide away from him..._

_The last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air. The train rounded a corner. Harry's hand was still raised in farewell._

**Hogwarts: The Next Generation**

Albus Severus sighed once his father was no longer in view. The train was now moving onward, toward Hogwarts. Every second bringing him closer to his future. He was excited, but then again, he was also nervous. What if he didn't fit in?

What if he ended up in Hufflepuff? Now that he had sufficient time to think about it, and his father's reassurances, he realized that Slytherin was not the House to worry about. It was Hufflepuff. The name just sounded so mundane and flowery. No one seemed to find the Hufflepuffs a threat or even remotely interesting. Who'd want to be known as a puff? It was just… too - not girly - just not tough enough.

There was nudge against his right shoulder, and he turned to see James smirking at him. He didn't like that smirk. It usually meant something bad.

"Stop worrying. You aren't Hufflepuff material. Believe me."

He really wanted to, but the terror seized him instantly. What if he wasn't chosen at all? What if he was sent home because there was no way to determine which House could be sorted into? He'd be a laughing-stock!

Albus gripped his seat tightly. He usually wasn't so full of angst, but today was a trying day in his life, and he didn't want to embarrass himself in front of anyone.

How could Rose be so calm. Was she not worried? She looked perfectly at peace. Did she just not care? Or maybe she already had an idea of where she was to be sorted. Albus wished that he had her confidence.

That was all well and good for her, but Albus was completely going mad. He fit the requirements for every House, and he really didn't want Hufflepuff. Though he'd even take the puffs so long as he at least  _had_ a place at Hogwarts. Some things were worth enduring.

James nudged his shoulder again, and he glanced over in apprehension, only to have a bright red lolly shoved in his face.

"Here," his older brother stated. "The trolley came by, but you were so busy going bonkers, you didn't notice anything."

Albus gratefully accepted the offering, looking it over critically. He needed to make sure that James hadn't tampered with it. He did things like that from time to time.

Once it was deemed acceptable for consumption, he unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth. He'd always been a fan of Blood Pops. There was no real reason as to why, he just liked them.

Rose pulled the leg of her Chocolate Frog off and took a bite. She handed him the famous witch or wizard car, knowing that he had an extensive collection. And she just gave him one that he had never seen before!

**Severus T. Snape**

_Modern_

(born- Jan. 9th 1960. died- May 28th 1998.)

_Former Headmaster of Hogwarts._

_Former Head of Slytherin House._

_Former DADA and Potions professor._

_Known for assisting in the ultimate defeat of the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort in 1998, for the creation of the Instantaneous Effect Wolfsbane Potion(a variation of Damocles' discovery that is easier to brew and takes effect immediately upon ingestion) and for being a pillar of understanding for the students who needed to talk about unsavory home life._

_Harry Potter(Boy-Who-Lived) has been cited, saying this about him, "He was the bravest man I ever knew." Subsequently, he named his second son after Severus Snape as well._

Albus stared at the dark man in the frame, black robes, black hair, a sallow complexion, and a hooked nose. He was frowning, and his dark bistre eyes seemed to stare into Albus's soul. He felt a shiver run down his spine. This was the Slytherin man his father named him for? What could he have done to gain dad's respect?

Why was dad even mentioned? And what did 'Boy-Who-Lived' mean? He inquired aloud and both Rose and James shrugged. Although, he could tell by the look on his face, that James knew the answer. If so, then why did he lie?

The time passed with all three children eating their way through loads upon loads of sweets. Until Rose decided to be the  _mature_ one and declare that they all had enough and that they shouldn't spoil their upcoming dinner.

Albus returned to his worrying. Before he could begin to detail anything, Rose shoved a heavy book into his hands.

"Read it. Maybe you'll feel better."

He smiled gratefully and opened up to the first page, immersing himself within Hogwarts: A History.

Rose' copy already had notes written inside, and he found himself flipping between pages to see continuations, similar arguments, and cross references.

He didn't know how long he sat in the same position, but when James had finally nabbed his attention once again, it was dark outside. He was halfway finished.

"We should get changed. We'll arrive in half an hour," James suggested, grabbing his carry on trunk from the rack over their heads.

Albus looked out the window, only to be confronted with darkness against a black lake. Various shadows of trees were lining the shore.

"How can you tell?" Albus asked in confusion.

James shrugged, "That's the Black Lake. It's the only lake around here. Anyway, the older years determined that when you see the small island with the cluster of trees, the train is half an hour away from the station, and they are correct."

Rose cooed and clapped her hands together. "I read that there's a colony of Merpeople living within, along with a Giant Squid and Grindylows!"

James laughed at the face Albus made at the mention of the squid. Albus didn't like squid.

The first year huffed, "Stop laughing! I don't laugh at your fear of spiders!"

James' humor disappeared, and he was suddenly pensive. "I do  _not_ fear spiders."

Rose scoffed, " _Of course you don't_. You just screamed and jumped onto the chair, because you were testing how sturdy the wood was. That had  _nothing_ to do with fear."

The cousins snickered at the older boy's expense, making him flush.

"Clothes, now!" James said firmly, before grabbing his things and leaving the compartment.

Rose and Albus shared an amused look as they gathered their own clothing.

"Lock the door while we wait, just to be sure," Albus ordered before stepping into the corridor and firmly sliding the door shut. He heard it click. James was leaning on the wall to the left of the compartment and a look around showed that the corridor was filled with males all waiting outside their own compartments. It must be a tradition, and of course, the ladies always go first.

Ten minutes later, everyone switched places. Seriously, did all the girls plan to take so long?  _Why_ did it take so long for them to change clothes? Though Albus did notice that Rose had changed her hair style. Why did she have to do it? Should he do his own hair?

He and James obviously didn't take as long. Though James did run a comb through his dark hair so that it didn't look as disheveled. It was pretty tame compared to other days.

They reached Hogsmeade Station a few moments later, and the first years were directed by the prefects to follow the 'big man'. James waved them on and wished them luck.

Rose gripped Albus' hand, her trepidation finally noticeable. Albus was relieved to learn that he wasn't the only person feeling an attack of nerves. He tightened his hold on his cousin's hand as they walked. They at least had each other in this.

The 'big man' was named Rubeus Hagrid, and he was a good friend of dad, Aunt Mione, and Uncle Ron. He was also a half giant, which explained his height. According to dad, he was the kindest soul one could ever possibly meet, and Albus was encouraged to befriend him. Also, he, Rose, and James had been invited for tea the following Saturday.

The lights from the station illuminated Hagrid's form a little. He was around eleven feet tall at least with black hair and a black beard. Both were streaked with silver however, showing his age. He had dark beady eyes which twinkled in the light, and he had smile and laugh lines. He also favored a large brown coat and was holding a fire lit lantern.

"Firs' years! Firs' years, over here!" the large man called, waving his free hand in a 'come hither' fashion.

The children all gathered and waited for further instruction. Albus looked around curiously at all the new faces. There was all manner of children from redheads, to Asians and two twin girls that he'd swear were Indian. Judging by their coppery colored skin and long silky black hair, he'd guess that they were related to the Patil Family. Aunt Mione had nothing but praise for her old friends Parvati and Padma. And her bedtime stories about dad's failed dancing with Parvati were always a favorite.

Albus' eyes locked onto a boy with really bright, platinum, blonde hair. He was standing taller than everybody else, looking proud. From Uncle Ron's description, he had to be a Malfoy. Though he didn't look like a 'poncy git' to Albus. Maybe Uncle Ron was wrong about Malfoys.

"Yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts is coming up around the bend!" Hagrid announced as they walked the dark path.

A few feet later with a mild turn and a chorus of 'Ohhhhhh,' rang through the group of children.

They were at the mouth of the Black Lake. On the other side was a large cliff face with a stone staircase leading from the small boathouse, to the large castle resting atop the small mountain. Even in the darkness, Albus could make out the lights flickering inside the building. It was spectacular, with battlements and turrets. Was that a viaduct? Dear Merlin, is was amazing.

"No wonder there are no paintings of it," he found himself muttering. "They want the first years to get the full effect all at once."

Rose nodded minutely, still mute.

Hagrid gave an order for only four to a boat, drawing Albus' attention from the grand structure above them, to the floating wooden vessels resting on the water.

He and Rose shared with the Patil twins. The boats set off across the water, propelled by magic. Hagrid had his own boat.

The ride was smooth. The trip from the boathouse to the entrance of the castle was a necessary evil fraught with far too many steps. He was out of breath, and he wasn't even out of shape!

Hagrid double checked to make sure everyone was accounted for, before raising a large fist and rapping on the double doors three times. They creaked open magically, to reveal a tall man with dirty blond hair dressed in light blue dress robes. A closer looked revealed him to be Neville Longbottom. Mum and dad's old school friend who visited every now and then. He was also the one mum had told James to give 'love' to. He was pretty cool.

"Here are the firs' years, Professor Longbottom."

The man smiled, "Thank you, Professor Hagrid, I'll handle them from here."

Hagrid nodded and bade the children a farewell, before entering the castle quickly.

Professor Longbottom led the children into a separate antechamber off from the entrance hall. He turned and cleared his throat in a way that demanded silence.

"Good evening to you all. I am Professor Longbottom, and I teach Herbology. I am also the Deputy Headmaster and Head of Gryffindor House. Should you ever need a willing ear, my office is always open to you.

"Now, I'd like to welcome you to Hogwarts. In a few moments, you will enter the Great Hall and be sorted into one of the four Houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."

Albus' heart leapt about wildly in his chest.

While in attendance, your House is like your family. As a cohesive unit, you will work together to uphold the nobility and memory of your House Founders. Success and good deeds earn you points. Get caught rule-breaking, and you will lose points. Points are gathered until the end-of-the-year banquet where the House with the most is awarded the House Cup, which is an honor, I assure you.

The start-of-term banquet will begin momentarily. Please take this time to straighten yourselves up. First impressions are everything. I will return for you when we are ready, please wait quietly."

The children all watched as he strode away and began fiddling with their robes and hair.

Rose hastily pulled a small comb through her pin straight locks. Albus had to marvel at wherever she managed to hide it. He also didn't know why she bothered. There was no way for the curtain of red to get any straighter. Albus' black hair framed his face easily and he never had to worry about it being messy. Not like James' hair. He was presentable and his robes were smart.

"Do I look okay?" Rose asked with obvious concern.

Albus nodded, "Yes, you look the same as usual."

"I just was to be in shipshape."

The boy shrugged, "Do  _I_ look okay?"

"Perfect."

Rose looked around and jumped back, bumping into Albus and causing him to nearly fall over.

"Ghosts," she breathed.

True enough, the antechamber was now filled with silvery figures that were transparent. They floated above the heads of the new students, some calling out cheerful greetings.

Rose stiffened by his side, and he turned fast enough to see her literally whipping out her wand and saying rather quickly, "Protego!"

A blue form of light appeared around them and a loud splash sounded through the antechamber. Several students moaned.

The blue faded, and both cousins could see that some of the other students were covered in water. Above them, cackling madly was another ghost?

"That's Peeves," Rose explained. "He's a poltergeist."

Albus' head whipped around, and he gaped at her. "How did you know the shield charm? That's advanced! Most grown witches and wizards can't even do a  _proper_  one!"

Rose flushed instantly and looked sheepish. "I got to practice with mum's wand early this summer, and your home was where I practiced. The Black Ancestral Home is warded against Ministry detection. I thought you knew."

Albus shook himself and nodded, "I  _do_. I just didn't think that  _you_  did."

"I could teach it to you! Dad tells me that mum was the one to know all sorts of spells that first years didn't know when they went here. I'll help you. I promise!"

Albus sighed, "I guess. I'm just really shocked, because that's said to be difficult, and we haven't even started the school year yet."

She laughed uncomfortably and shifted from foot to foot.

Professor Longbottom returned, saving her from any further embarrassment.

"We're ready now. Please, follow me."

And so the collective group of wet and dry children followed him through some more doors, finally leaving the antechamber behind.

Before them were two large doors, and they opened automatically, allowing them to finally see the inside of the infamous 'Great Hall'. There were gasps and smiles. Some pointed, others giggled.

The ceiling was bewitched to resemble the sky outside. It was a piece of information in Hogwarts: A History, chapter one. There were thousands upon thousands of floating candles above them. Before them were four tables, the House Tables. Each had certain flags hanging above them. At the end of the hall was a large table, resting perpendicular to the other four. All the seats were taken.

They followed Professor Longbottom down the center aisle and stopping along the landing in front of the Head Table. There was a wooden stool and a brown hat.

Professor Longbottom held a long scroll in his hands and picked the hat up. It was worn and obviously old.

The seam at the top split apart in the vague impression of a mouth and the hat… began to sing.

**I'm older than your parents,**

**I know everything, you see,**

**I can sort each and every one of you,**

**And put you where you are meant to be.**

**As far as headwear goes,**

**I'm know that I'm the best,**

**Because I can rhyme and sing and jaunty tune,**

**Unlike all the rest.**

**Once on your head, I can tell,**

**Which house to put you in,**

**For all your secrets become my own,**

**You cannot hide what's within.**

**A Gryffindor will be courageous,**

**Brave and noble 'til the very end,**

**Perhaps this is where you are meant to be,**

**Where chivalry and nerve are your friend.**

**Hufflepuff is for those,**

**Who stay loyal and true,**

**Those who toil in feisty mindset,**

**Are patient through and through.**

**If you value your intellect,**

**Quite far above the rest,**

**The wit and logic of Ravenclaw,**

**Will surely be what's best.**

**Slytherin is the Hogwarts House,**

**That deals with the cunning and sly,**

**Doing what you can in order to thrive,**

**Is the only way to survive.**

**So come along and put me on,**

**My time is growing thin,**

**Your future and life are waiting for you,**

**Now the sorting may begin.**

The hall erupted into loud cheers, students were whistling.

Rose and Albus shared a look. Not that the song wasn't good, but it was just unnerving to learn that the magic hat would see everything in their heads.

Professor Longbottom cleared his throat as the cheering died away and said, "I shall call your name, and you will come up to be sorted, then depart to your House Table.

"Abbott, Andrew!"

A small boy with excessive freckles plopped onto the stool and after a few seconds, the hat's seam split as it yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bletchley, Burnadette!"

Short drown hair that stuck up in every direction and a deep tan. She looked sort of scary too.

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Bones, Amelia!"

The young girl had long auburn hair, pulled back into a braid.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Bulstrode, Violetta!"

Another girl, with a round face and short black hair sat on the stool next.

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Burns, Benedict!"

This boy had spiky black hair. He must have used a whole bottle of gel.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Creevey, Ignatius!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Creevey Winifred!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

The brother and sister almost looked identical, except for their height difference.

"Davis, Millicent!"

This girl was lanky and blonde. She made Slytherin, along with her brother Horace.

"Dogworth, Penelope!"

This next girl resembled what the muggles believed pixies looked like. Dainty with fair skin and dark hair.

"RAVENCLAW!"

Finally, a Ravenclaw.

"Dursley, Dunstan!"

Albus gasped, caching Rose' attention.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Dad's muggle relatives were named Dursley."

Her blue eyes went wide, and she surveyed the boy on the stool more closely.

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"We'll have to find out later," he mumbled in her ear. She nodded.

"Finch-Fletchley, Ernest!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Gables, Cassiopeia!"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

A few more names. Two more Slytherins. two more Gryffindors, a Hufflepuff, and another Ravenclaw.

"MacMillan, Tavin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Malfoy, Scorpius!"

The hat didn't even touch his head before yelling out, "SLYTHERIN!"

"Weird," Rose whispered. He nodded his agreement.

The Parkinson girl went to Slytherin also. The Patils were split up among Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, much like the other two were. Albus found that intriguing.

"Nott, Ignatius!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

And then came the moment where his heart sank into his stomach and he felt nauseated.

"Potter, Albus!"

With a helpful nudge from his cousin, he traipsed on up to the stool and sat nervously, hands fisting in his robes. The hat was placed over his head an all he saw was darkness.

" _Hmmm…. it's been a while since I've seen a mind like yours,_ " a deep voice whispered in his head.

" _Centuries at least. Interesting. Aptitude for each House is a rarity among students. Where to put you…_ "

Albus took a deep breath, hoping to calm himself a little.

_Please put me where I belong!_

Even while thinking that, he was internally begging that 'where he belonged' wasn't in Hufflepuff.

" _Where you belong, not where you want to go, eh? I see Mr. Potter eased your former worries. You're lucky to have someone to explain it to you. He could have used some help. Would have made a fine Slytherin, too._ "

Was the hat saying that dad was supposed to be in Slytherin?

" _Yes, he chose Gryffindor however. Now, I know where you'll thrive._ "

The whispery, deep voice faded from his mind as a much louder voice called out, "SLYTHERIN!"

Albus' shoulders sagged in the ultimate relief and he let out a breath. He wasn't a Hufflepuff. Mission accomplished.

The hall clapped for him and he moved over to the Slytherin table.

The students there, stared at him in what he realized was shock. People must have expected him to be in Gryffindor like all the other Potters. He broke the mould.

Scorpius Malfoy was sitting across from him, the boy's grey eyes assessing him.

"You don't seem too worried about being sorted into Slytherin," he commented.

"I'm not. I thought I was going to be in Hufflepuff. Thank Merlin, I'm not."

A few nearby Slytherins snickered at this and Scorpius cracked a small smile.

"And Harry Potter wouldn't be angry?" he asked.

Albus looked around in confusion as he muttered, " _No_ , He told me that if I ended up in Slytherin, then the House had gained a good mind. I was initially worried about Slytherin, but he put my fears to rest quickly. And then I realized that I might be in Hufflepuff and the fear returned."

Some light chuckling foolowed and he couldn't help but ask, "How do you know my dad's name?"

Grey eyes went wide, "Who  _doesn't_ know his name?!"

"What?"

Scorpius leaned over some students to ask, "Does anyone have a Potter wizard card?"

And one suddenly appeared, thrust into his hand.

He held it out to Albus, who took in gingerly.

It was a picture of his dad when he was younger. His scar was prominent too. Albus flipped the card in order to read the description.

**Harry Potter**

_Modern_

_(Born- 31 July, 1980.)_

_**Current Head Auror of the DMLE** _

_The Boy-Who-Lived_

_Chosen One_

_Triwizard Champion 1994_

_Known for being the only person to survive the Killing Curse(he did so twice) which left a cursed scar behind which he is recognized globally for, for his defeat of the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort on 28 May, 1998, for his victory in the Triwizard Tournament in 1994(at only 14 years of age), for being the joint founder in the group D.A. and training his fellows in defensive spells and charms, for being the only living Parslemouth in existence, for being the youngest Seeker in a century, for defeating a 1,000 year old Basilisk(at the age of 12) and for being able to produce a corporeal Patronus at the age of thirteen._

_He enjoys Quidditch and Dueling._

_Currently considered the most powerful wizard in the world._

Albus stared at the card in silence. And shock. His dad was famous. World famous. That was why everyone was staring at him while he was on the platform! They all knew who he was.

Why did  _he_ not know?!

"You were never told?" Scorpius asked, drawing his attention.

"No, but the staring makes sense now."

"Weasley, Rose!"

Albus' head jerked up to the sorting, realizing that many names had been called in the last few moments. It was Rose' turn now.

She sat there, feet swaying from side to side.

"RAVENCLAW!"

She grinned brightly and jumped off the stool, making her way over to her table, catching her cousin's eyes and winking in glee.

He nodded, though unable to fake happiness for her. He was still reeling from the fact that his father was famous, and he never knew. Why had he not been told about any of those things on the list? The bedtime stories he missed out on!

Albus looked over, eyes locking on that of his older brother. James was looking solemn. He knew! But for how long?

James mouthed 'later' and turned to the boy sitting beside him.

He'd get answer later. And he'd be writing a letter tomorrow, definitely.

Albus handed the card back to the blonde with a shake of the head. "I'm not thrilled."

"I can see that."

"Zabini, Antonio!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Zabini, Adrianna!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

And that was it for the sorting. Once the last two students were seated, one beside Harry and the other beside Scorpius, the woman sitting at the Head Table, wearing green dress robes, stood and began speaking with a very noticeable brough.

"There are some start of term notices.

All students are forbidden from entering the Dark Forest. Many a creature call it home and we do not want an Acromantula to drag you off."

This made several people shiver, Albus included. He looked across the hall to see James looking ill.

"There is no magic to be done in the corridors. Do not leave your dorms after curfew. The Restricted Section is out of bounds unless a professor has given you permission to enter and retrieve a book.

Now, I believe that we are all famished enough as it is. Let the feast begin!"

The students cheered as food appeared along the tables. Albus' eyes widened as his vision of Scorpius was blocked by a large roast. Bowls of food scattered about with delicious looking vegetables.

Albus pushed aside his annoyance in favor of finally eating. He only then realized how hungry he truly was, by filling his plate and eating swiftly, though not like a neanderthal. Rose would kill him.

"So, Potter, what do you do for fun?" the Zabini boy, Antonio, asked him a few moments later.

"Read, study, and watch the telly."

"'Telly'?" a bunch of people repeated in confusion.

Albus placed his cutlery down and cleared his throat. "Yes, a lot of magicals think that muggle electricity cannot be used around witches and wizards. That's not true. How would you explain muggleborns growing up in houses full of electricity? My aunt and I have realized that magic does not ruin muggle technology. Certain spells and charms  _will_ ruin them, but just being  _around_ magic doesn't do anything. So we have many muggle appliances at home. The telly is like a photograph that can move for hours instead of a few seconds."

Albus neglected to mention that his father had purchased the house next to number 12 so that the 'companies' would send bills there and the satellites would pick up signals from there instead, since number 12 didn't really 'exist'.

"You really use  _muggle_ things?" Scorpius asked, nose wrinkled.

"Yeah! Despite what some want to believe, muggles are rather intelligent, inventive, and imaginative. The games and toys they have sometimes makes me wish the magical world would come up with better things for children."

"Well,  _I_  like to ride my Nimbus," the Zabini girl sniffed.

That seemed to spark interest in many of the boys. Quidditch was suddenly the much talked about subject among the Slytherin first years.

Scorpius, however, did not join in on the talk. He was still staring at Albus.

He then extended a hand. "I'm Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy."

Albus warily eyed the hand for a second, before putting his own out. Upon shaking, he said, "I'm Albus Severus Potter."

The two grinned at each other and returned to their meal.

When the feast was over, the first years were led to their Common Rooms by the prefects. Albus noticed that Scorpius stood closer to him than anyone else. Though he thought it was odd, he didn't say anything.

The password for Slytherin was 'Salazar', not too original. According to dad, Gryffindor always had long phrases to remember.

The entrance to the Common Room was in the dungeons, nearly a blank wall. The wall slid aside and a hissing noise followed.

It was green, a lot of green. It was also a good thing that his favorite color was green, else he'd have gotten annoyed early on.

Bookcases, armchairs, sofas, candles, a few skulls, and several portraits of past Slytherins littered the room. The first years stood patiently as the prefects conferred a bit.

Louis Weasley, his cousin and Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur's only son and the only Weasley to ever be sorted into Slytherin, was a sixth year and was a perfect. He spared Albus a small smile, before asking for everyone's attention. The other prefects deferred to him instantly. Albus had a feeling that it was the Veela allure thing Aunt Mione talked about. Louis was the only male in existence to ever be part Veela. Though he was only ⅛ Veela, he still had the looks and apparently, everyone was affected.

"I am Louis Weasley, and I am pleased to welcome you all to Slytherin. First and foremost, we are not an evil house. Those who claim such are full of rubbish and wish they could be as amazing as us. We are no longer against muggleborns and the blood purist bigotry is barely present. There are some, however, who still do not like muggles. As a precautionary method, please refrain from speaking of them around those whom you know do not like them.

The password changes every week and is put on the board every Sunday evening. Remember that. Boys are not allowed in the girl's dorms and vice versa. There are spells that will sound an alarm if anyone attempts to do so.

All of your belongings have been brought in and placed beside a fourposter. You will keep this fourposter for the year. Next year, you'll obviously be in a different room. Curfew for first years is nine o' clock. Breakfast begins at 7:30 every morning and ends at 8:45, giving students enough time to get to classes. Tomorrow, you will receive your schedules at breakfast.

For now, I know that you're all knackered and would like to get some rest, so the boys dorms are to the right and the girls are to the left."

The boy prefects, including Louis, started in one direction while the girls started to another.

Louis took them into a large room with several fourposters. They each found their trunks and things put away already.

"Lights out in half an hour, boys."

Louis pulled Albus aside and gave him a small hug. "Everything will be fine, you'll see," he whispered.

"I know."

With a wink, the older wizard turned and left the dorm room.

Albus discovered that his bed was right next to Scorpius' own. They talked a bit as they got ready and when the excitement finally settled, they were dead on their feet.

Albus was pretty sure that even as he was falling asleep, he wasn't completely on the bed. He was too tired to fix himself and just let the darkness claim him, content to deal with everything tomorrow.

**A/N: This is the first chapter. I wrote the sorting hat's song for this. More information on the Potter past will appear in every chapter beyond this. If you have questions, I will answer them. Yes, Rose is a mini Hermione, knowing spells older years wouldn't even know.**

**How was it? Let me know please?**

**Check out my other Harry Potter stories!**

**See ya! :D**


	2. September 2nd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second day, everything comes crashing down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Albus is a bit emotional in this.
> 
> Mention of death later on.
> 
> *Chapter starts with a flashback.

**A/N: Hello, people!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**I have no beta.**

**ENJOY! *Chapter starts with a flashback.**

_Albus Severus entered the shop slowly. It was old and covered in dust. There was a counter toward the back of the room with shelves full of books and on it, was a single lit candle. Papers scattered across the flat surface beside the burning wax._

_A man with salt and pepper colored hair, appeared from one of the aisles. He had bright blue eyes and a kind smile, putting Albus' worry at ease a bit. "Hello, Mr. Potter, Ms. Weasley."_

_Rose, who was standing beside him, gave a smile and waved to him._

" _Let's see. From what my father told me of your parents' wands, I should be able to help your wands find you."_

_Dad had told him that this man was Garrick Ollivander II and that he was just as good as his father at wandlore. He also wasn't as mad looking, according to Uncle Ron._

_The man flitted about the shelves, gathering boxes and bringing them over to the counter. He approached Rose first and handed a long, dark wand over. She shook her head when nothing happened and he smiled lightly, replacing it with another wand._

_Finally, five wands later, she found a match. The wand in her hand was giving off a blue glow._

_Mr. Ollivander's eyes twinkled, "Ah, 10 ¾", Willow with a unicorn horn core. Pliant and quite stubborn."_

" _Thank you," she smiled, handing him seven Galleons._

" _A pleasure my lady." He turned to Albus next, "And now for Mr. Potter."_

_The man fiddled around, having Albus try out several woods and when he realized that Yew fit him, began to thrust as many Yew wands as he could find, into the boy's hands._

_His match finally came in a 12" Yew and Phoenix Feather. It was pale and shined nicely. And it made his magic jump! As if it was its own person. The light that poured from the tip, was so white, it nearly blinded him._

_Ollivander explained that the Phoenix Tail Feather in his wand, came from the same Phoenix who gave the feather for his father's wand. Apparently it was given some time in the 90s and held under terrible scrutiny. He had been worried about fashioning a wand with it, but had initially gotten over his fear. He couldn't let worry for who would bond with the wand, to disrupt the process of creation._

_Albus liked his wand. It was unique, with a curved handle that had runes carved into the wood. He really liked how it came alive in his hand._

_This was his wand._

" _Very good, Mr. Potter. That'll be seven Galleons."_

_Albus grinned and paid the man._

" _Thank you, sir."_

* * *

"See him there?"

"Who?"

"Harry Potter's second son of course!"

"Oh! I can't believe that he's in Slytherin!"

"Well I think it's great that he isn't scared. It shows good upbringing."

"Do you think he's good at Quidditch?"

"Do you think that he'll be a Seeker too?"

Albus wondered if every day was going to be like this. People stopped and pointed at him. They whispered loudly about him. He wasn't even famous! What had it been like for James? Or even dad?

As soon as the Slytherin first years appeared in the Great Hall the next morning, whispering began.

Scorpius took the seat across from his again and said, "It'll die down after a few days. Some of them have no class or self-restraint. And obviously don't know how to be subtle."

"I know. I hope it ends soon. Was it like this for James?"

"Most likely."

They piled their plates and made it halfway through them before Louis appeared, handing then their schedules. "Here you are and there are maps on the back. Uncle Harry made it a point to inform Professor McGonagall that this is an overwhelming experience for the first years, especially muggleborns just getting used to magic. When he attended, it took he and Uncle Ron two weeks to remember where their classes were, managing to get there on time finally without receiving detention. He suggested maps be given out to help the new students along," Louis explained with an easy grin.

They thanked him and he moved on to other students.

"We have Potions first thing, with the Gryffindors," Scorpius pointed out.

Albus sighed, "I hope there's no fighting. I don't like fighting."

"My father told me that it's a lot better these days than it was when he attended. The other Houses aren't as against Slytherin as they used to be, because the Slytherins did not participate in the Battle of Hogwarts and just left the premises. Also, the work of the former Headmaster who my father's godfather, Severus Snape, seemed to really make people think twice. And then  _your_ father has been pushing for inter-House unity for years and people have finally decided to listen."

Albus looked around the hall at the various students. He noticed many people staring at him, but he didn't see any glares or sneers. So maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he thought it would be.

"We should collect our books, once we're done. We don't want to get on anyone's bad side and since I don't know anything about Professor Rowling, I say it's best to start out on good terms," Scorpius stated after checking his schedule.

"Good idea."

The boys left the Great Hall after a few moments and returned to the dorm to fetch their books and much needed equipment for Potions.

"It's a good thing that the Potions room for first years happens to be in the dungeons. No stairs for us to worry about yet."

"Apparently the staircases change and every now and then, the rooms do as well."

"This is going to be a bloody nightmare," Albus groaned.

They were the first students to reach the class and calmly waited inside, sitting together just because they could. Moments later, more students filed in. Gryffindors and Slytherins choosing their own seats and pulling out their quills and parchment.

At the stroke of nine, Professor Rowling entered the room. She was rather short, possibly not even five and a half feet tall. Her hair was shoulder length and blonde, she looked nice, but looks could be deceiving.

"Welcome to Potions, first year Gryfs and Slyths. I am Jo Anne Rowling and I've been teaching Potions for the past five years. I earned my Mastery five years ago, managing to be the second youngest Potions Master in history. I was only thirty-four and it was a big deal for me. I was in Ravenclaw when I attended Hogwarts. I do not care for House rivalry and I will award points to those who deserve them. Do the work and you get the credit, simple. Now, I'm going to take roll and then ask some questions."

And that was that.

"Now then, I'd like to see if you know any of these questions. They are not first year material however, so you will not be penalized if you do not know.

Now, who can tell me a characteristic of the love potion, Amortentia?"

Both Albus and Scorpius raised their hands and Albus noticed that no one else did.

Professor Rowling grinned at them, "We'll go with Mr. Malfoy first and if your answer is different Mr. Potter, then you'll have your turn."

Scorpius smirked, "The steam spirals in distinctive patterns."

"Correct," the professor smiled. She then nodded to Albus, whose hand was still raised.

"It smells different to each person, according to what attracts them."

"Correct boys, take five points collectively for Slytherin!"

She looked around and asked, "What is the Oculus Potion used for?"

No one raised their hand.

"That's alright, it isn't widely used. The Oculus Potion can correct eyesight and it counteracts the Conjunctivitis Curse. It is deep orange in color.

Name an ingredient the Draught of the Living Death."

Albus raised his hand again. This was something Aunt Mione had mentioned. She said only dad was able to brew it correctly.

"Mr. Potter?"

"Powdered root of Asphodel."

"Good. Do you know any others?"

"An Infusion of Wormwood, Water, Valerian Woot, a Sopophorous Bean and a Sloth Brain."

"Correct! Five more points for Slytherin. Now, onto the lesson."

And just like that, Potions was revealed to be a favorite, because Professor Rowling was fair and encouraging.

The last block for the day, was DADA and it was still before lunch.

The professor was a dark-skinned man with piercing green eyes. He was very tall and lithe in appearance, wearing black and green teaching robes.

"I am Blaise Zabini and I am Head of Slytherin House. I like dueling and eating chocolate. I will not be favoring the Slytherins just because they are my snakes. Credit is given where it is due. And we will begin class with roll call and then we will discuss the Knockback Jinx, theory and practical."

DADA was another favorite for Albus. Mostly because he understood the theory easily and when they were told to practice on the little figurines lined up for them, he got it on the first try. The incantation was  _Flipendo_ and it was pretty amazing.

Half the students in the class managed the spell, each earning a point for their House. Scorpius was among them.

In the end, it was fourteen points to Slytherin and thirteen points to Gryffindor.

They were told to write half a foot about the effects of the spell and various ways it should be used when not dueling.

Then came lunch.

Apparently, the post came at lunchtime on a regular basis. Vashti, the family owl, came in through the rafters above, swooping down to drop a box beside his right arm, before landing on his left arm.

He handed her a piece of bacon, which she nibbled happily and thanked her for flying all that way. She ruffled her feathers slightly and prewened under his praise, before hooting and flying off.

"First official day and you already get something," Scorpius said in shock.

Albus shrugged and untied the ribbon, shuffling through the twists and ties. And then the lid was off and Albus stared down at the long piece of parchment that was obviously folded repeatedly, and the blue piece of stationary resting atop it.

He knew what the parchment was, having seen many copies of it over the years. Instead of grabbing it, he took the note which was obviously written by his Self-Writing Quill, because neither of his parents had such neat script.

_Dear Al,_

_By now, you have most likely found out about your father's fame. He is indeed known for defeating the former Dark Lord and for surviving the killing curse twice. He'd know for many other reasons, but these are the most important._

_The reason we never told you kids, was because we didn't want you to grow up thinking you were entitled to something because you have famous family members. And we didn't want to burden you with the social sharks that the newspaper workers can be. It was horrible for your father growing up and he didn't want it to happen to you three._

_James learned last year and unless she finds out before school, Lily will also find out in her first year at Hogwarts. Besides, we didn't believe at it was important to know, seeing as your father has never once liked his fame._

_Enclosed in the box, is your very own copy of the Marauder's Map. James has his own and Lily will of course receive hers on her first official day at school. All of the Weasley children in recent years have gotten one as well. We're keeping them in the family. Please behave and do well in your classes. We know that you were sorted into Slytherin and we are proud of you. Please make sure that Rose takes routine breaks and doesn't overwork herself with studying. She can be very much like Mione when she wants to be._

_All my love,_

_Mum._

Albus looked up, eyes locating his cousin as she sat at the Ravenclaw table. Her head was bowed slightly over a long slip of parchment and he could see from his angle, that her mouth was pressed in a firm line.

"Scor, I'm going to go speak with my brother. If I don't come back, I'll meet you in the Common Room later, or I'll just show up at dinner."

The blonde frowned, but nodded. "Be careful."

Albus gathered his things in his bag and left his table to collect Rose from hers. She was frowning as they confronted James, who sighed in a very put upon manner.

"Alright, let's talk."

James led them from the hall and outside, into the courtyard. Rose raised her wand a mumbled something, flushing when she realized they were watching her curiously.

"Silencing charm," she murmured.

Albus decided to start with the line of questioning, since Rose looked uncomfortable.

"Is this the plan for everyone in the family?"

James nodded, his shaggy curls bouncing. "Yeah. If they don't manage to find out before first year of course."

Rose cleared his throat, "How did you take the news?"

"I thought it was bloody brilliant!"

Albus couldn't find it in himself to agree. Though his father was well known for some admittedly amazing things, the fame aspect didn't appeal to Albus in the least. There were more important things to think of. Like the fact that they'd been lied to. It wasn't just withholding information, their parents had  _lied_ as well.

"Am I the only one who isn't happy about this?" he asked, voicing his confusion for them to hear.

"I'm not happy that I had to learn from someone who wasn't even a member of my family," Rose interjected. "That's my only issue. I can understand why they did it, just fine."

"What about it could even make you  _unhappy_?" James asked, looking at his brother like he'd gone mad. Albus did not appreciate that.

"I'm angry for the same reason as Rose and also for the lying."

"'Lying'?" two voices chorused.

"Yes.  _ **Lying**_. All our loves, we've asked them what their Hogwarts experience was like and that always said the same things. 'Fine,' 'Just like everyone else's," or 'Nothing special,'. Then I have to find out from the back of a  _Wizard Card_ , that my father did indeed have an exciting time here. He killed a 1,000 year old Basilisk in his second year, learned the Patronus Charm in his third year, was Triwizard Champion in his fourth year, made a Defense club and taught his friends, survived the killing curse twice and defeated a dark lord all within the span of seventeen years. I'm angry that people I don't know, are asking me questions that I can't answer and I'm angry that they know more about my father than I do and I live with him! I angry about learning this from a card. About the lying. I don't understand why neither of you thought of this."

"You're overreacting to this, Al," James huffed.

"Oh yes, how dare I be offended that I was lied to my whole life. This makes me wonder what else they lied about. Aren't you curious? This does not make me want to trust them!" he hissed in return. "Yes, let's teach our children to be good upstanding citizens by  _lying to them_  for eleven years."

Rose' eyes went wide and she glanced at James before taking a large step away from both of them. James was glaring.

"What is your problem? Why are you acting like this? This isn't a big deal. Rose and I aren't like this and no one else reacted this way."

Albus scoffed, "That's all well and good for you, but I'm different than you all are. I actually  _see_ the entire situation for what it is. While they may not have meant it to come across like this, the fact is, they  _lied_. And I feel they could have gone about it much better than not telling us. Our safety wasn't compromised, there was no need to lie and withhold information. Pardon me for being emotional when I find out my parents have lied to me my whole life. Obviously I'm not allowed my own emotional responses."

Rose stepped in before James could retaliate, "Jim, shut up. You know as well as I that Al is emotional and takes things to heart. Stop being so insensitive and try to see this from his viewpoint. What if you found out suddenly that Aunt Lily lied when she told you that you sang wonderfully when you started all those years ago? What if someone comes along and tells you that you can't sing and when you ask her if it's true and she tells you that she lied, you wouldn't be happy, would you?"

"Mum would never do that," James insisted with folded arms, being deliberately obtuse.

Albus growled impressively and leveled his older brother with a glare, "You know what, James? Piss off."

He turned around then, ignoring Rose' gasp of shock at his dirty language and stomped back into the castle, turning left and following a long and empty corridor.

He walked for what seemed like ages, his anger sufficiently keeping him going and completely getting him lost because he was too busy thinking instead of paying attention to his surroundings.

He pulled out his own map and said the phrase, " _I solemnly swear that I am up to no good_."

Ink bled across the parchment, making Hogwarts visible. He located his own name and realized that he was in an uninhabited part of the castle. There were no people around his little dot for what seemed like miles and he was on the fifth floor.

He sighed and plopped himself down on the cold stone floor, laying back.

He was so confused!

"You're sad."

Albus jumped in shock, feeling goose pimples litter his arms as a feeling of cold water trickled down his back. He was alone! He hadn't expected a voice that wasn't his own.

He sat up quickly, looking around for the owner of said voice.

Standing… or perhaps a better term for it was, 'floating', not to far down the corridor, was a ghost. She was tall, with long wavy, dark hair and an old-fashioned dress complete with bust and belled sleeves. Clothing like that wasn't common in the last few centuries, so she had been dead for quite a while.

He then remember that while she was dead, she was still a lady with feelings. Not responding would be rude.

"Yeah, I am. How did you know?"

She looked to be on the higher side of depressed. Like she was usually sad but not as sad as usual, if that made any sense.

"Frowning indicates unhappiness," she said lowly, quirking a brow.

He flushed at such a simple answer. Of course.

"It's only the first day of classes," the ghost pointed out. "What happened?"

Albus stared at her in confusion, wondering how to answer. "I found out a lot of stuff between yesterday and today and it's just… too much to handle at the moment."

The ghost floated closer and he stood quickly, not liking the height difference. Standing didn't help him much.

"You look familiar," she said as she began to circle him. "I believe I met your father. He came to me for help, a few years back. A scar is on his forehead?"

Albus nodded. That was his dad. He knew of no one else who had scars on their foreheads. Apparently, the scar meant something too.

"Yes, he defeated the defiler of my mother's diadem. The dark lord. He was rather kind, despite being on a time sensitive schedule."

"I'm sorry, but who are you exactly? I don't want to keep mentally referring to you as 'lady'."

She gave a small smile, "I am Helena Ravenclaw, the Grey Lady and House Ghost of Ravenclaw. And you are?"

"Albus Severus Potter."

Helena's shimmering form folded in half slightly and he realized that she was sitting on a window sill. He looked around, realizing that this section of the castle had many windows and archways.

"Now then, what is troubling you, Mr. Potter?"

"Uhh… are you sure you want to know? It's sort of confusing and I'm twisted in all these knots about it."

"Start explaining," she demanded simply.

Albus couldn't help but wonder if all ghosts were so bossy. He was reminded of Rose.

"My dad is apparently famous for a never-ending list of amazing things, but he never told us. Never said he survived the killing curse, let alone twice! Or that he killed a Basilisk when he was twelve. That he mastered an advanced charm used to fend off Dementors, while only in his third year. Especially that he defeated a dark lord and won the last war. Now while I'm not happy about that it's not so important to me. Then there's the fact that people are asking me about him and I realized that I can't answer. I don't know my own father. I don't like it. And then the whole list of things he did while in school, that is why I'm angry.

I mean, he always told us that his school years were normal and just like everyone else's had been. And all of these things contradict his words completely. He lied. He and mum and all of my family lied. They don't tell anyone until the second day of school, because someone would have told us already. And apparently they try to butter us up with magical maps that can tell us where everyone in the castle is at any point in time.

And while I don't agree with the not telling us about his fame, I can get over that. I understand the reasoning though I don't agree.

I'm just angry that I was lied to for eleven years.

And my older brother told me that I was  _overreacting_  and I'm angry because I don't know if I have a right to be angry or if I am taking this too hard. It's all confusing and not making me feel any better. And he is too blinded by the pomp of it all. The 'being related to someone famous' thing. And Rose and the rest aren't like I am. I'm the only one who is offended and that's why this is all so confusing."

He ranted. He hadn't ranted in like four years! Was he seven or something?

"You are entitled to your feelings and opinions. No two people are the same. You obviously see an entire level to this situation that no one else bothered to consider and that is why you're so hurt.

My mother had done something similar to me, with her diadem. I was her only child and it was supposed to be mine, since I was her only heir. She always said I would have it one day. She refused to give it to me when I asked. The diadem was magically crafted to enhance clarity and wisdom in the mind and I really wanted it. For many reasons. But when she broke her promise, thereby lying to me, I stole it away and she sent the Bloody Baron after me. He'd been attempting to court me for years, but I was not interested in him as more than a friendly companion. I refused to return with him and he killed me in his anger. Upon realizing his mistake, he took his own life in grief."

Albus frowned, only seeing a slight similarity in their stories.

"The point of this is, it's okay to feel betrayed and hurt, but do not do anything foolish. When I returned to Hogwarts as a ghost, I learned that my mother succumbed to illness and had passed on. Her ghost did not linger and I never had the chance to hear her reason for why she denied me my birthright. All these years later, I have come to understand that I was too young and immature to handle the responsibility of the diadem. She never actually  _intended_ to come across as a liar. She was waiting for when I was  _ready_  and I acted  _without thinking_. I never had the opportunity to apologize for my actions.

My advice to you, is to not do anything, until your parents explain everything to you. If you run now, you may just regret it. And there may come a day, where you will return to find them gone and you'll be filled with guilt that you didn't even attempt to listen to them. Do not let your anger and pain, get in the way of your mind."

She stood from her position, nodded her head toward him and floated through the wall, leaving him alone in the corridor.

* * *

Albus sighed as he entered the dorm. Scorpius was sitting on the sofa nearest the door, reading a book. The blonde looked up upon his entry and quirked a brow.

"You're here. Good. I was almost worried."

"Yeah," he nodded. "James was being a right git and I needed time to myself."

"Does this happen a lot in your house? I'm an only child so I am rather curious about families with loads of children."

Albus sat on the sofa opposite the Malfoy heir and pulled out some parchment, intending to write his Potions essay immediately.

"Well, James is a bit of a git all the time. He likes to exaggerate details because he thinks making people worry is hilarious. Lily and I don't share the sentiment. Older siblings seem to think it's their job to make life harder for the younger years."

He started writing as fast as possible while still remaining neat. Scorpius was staring at the ceiling in silence. Minutes passed.

"You're really going fast with that. Are you sure you're doing it right?" the blonde asked after ten minutes.

"Professor Longbottom is a family friend and visits often. He's into Herbology and always has information for us to learn. Herbology and Potions go hand in hand and that's why I know so much about plants. Our parents took to making sure we knew much before coming here. Aunt Mione was adamant about us knowing first year curriculum already, so that we could get a head start on second year. Rose already knows  _shield charms_."

He shook his head. He'd really need to learn them too.

"Did you have tutors while growing up?"

"No. We went to a muggle primary in London, for basics. Aunt Mione drew up these long parchments for us to work on for an hour after class every day, to assist in our magical education. Summers are half learning, half fun."

"Do you ever just wish they gave you a tutor instead?"

Albus shrugged, "I never considered it. I guess I would have, because making muggle friends is difficult when you're better at everything and they can't come over your house lest we risk exposure. You can't explain certain things to them."

He finished his essay rather quickly and reviewed it over, to make sure that he liked how everything was worded. Once it dried, he rolled it up and tied it together with a green ribbon.

He then quickly moved onto his essay on the  _Flipendo_ spell.

Scorpius leaned over his parchment and clicked his tongue. "Your writing is so much nicer than my own," he commented.

"I took a course on what the muggles call  _calligraphy_. It's learning to create decorative letters with ink and can be very difficult. It requires a steady hand. You ever see those old stories where the first letter of the first word on the page, is enormous and super detailed?"

The blonde nodded.

"That's calligraphy."

Albus was able to finish his work and Scorpius followed him into the dorm.

"Supper will take place within the hour. A Perfect is supposed to escort us there. They'll be doing this all week. My father told me that during his school years, they had to do everything on their own. According to him, your father also proposed the Prefects being guides for the first week."

Albus nodded, not too keen on hearing about other things his father had done.

"Where are the other first years?" he asked after a moment of noticing that they were the only ones in the room.

"Other parts of the Common Room, Library and possibly lavatories."

They went back to the Common Room to find Horace and Millicent Davis, along with Phaedra Parkinson, Ignatius Nott and Antonio and Adrianna Zabini, all sitting in the other 'room' of the Common Room. The 'rooms' were divided by a small walkway, where the fireplace and hearth were.

"You two finished your work already?" Horace asked in bewilderment, looking up from his parchment and books.

The two boys nodded.

"Are you going to sit together in  _every_  class?" Phaedra asked, cocking a brow at them. Her black hair was pulled back with a green ribbon that bounced as her head moved.

Albus and Scorpius shared a look and nodded together. "Yes."

Ignatius had dirty blond hair that was parted to the left. It had a slight wave. His eyes were dark, but looked almost completely black in the shadows as his pupils were blown wide. Albus was proud of the fact that he didn't shiver.

"You two will be good friends," he boy stated simply.

"Huh?"

Albus wasn't so confused, because he'd seen a similar look before. "Are you a Seer?"

Ignatius merely smirked in response.

Attentions drifted elsewhere as the two free boys were drafted into assisting everyone else with their work. They asked questions and proposed situations. Even helped practise the  _Flipendo_ spell, which everyone managed to perfect by the end of the hour.

The rest of the first years appeared by the time a Prefect came to show them to dinner.

Dinner was grand, just like the first night. One of the older Slytherins made copies of their Daily Prophet and passed it along the table, so that everyone could see the head article.

**Vampires Attack Wizarding Family!**

**The Rothberns' are a pureblood/halfblood mixed family who are staunch in the belief that magical creatures are not worthy of magical rights and should be put down permanently. This view has made them an enemy of many a witch and wizard who are members of the RAMC(Respect All Magical Creatures) faction of the DRCMC. *Not all members of said faction work in the DRCMC.***

**Last night, 1 September 2017, the family had been sitting down for supper, when their house was raided by vampires. The family as a whole, was slaughtered mercilessly and their attackers left the magical world a message written in their victim's blood.**

' _Those who oppose the rights of The Guild, shall suffer a most horrifying end. Good only awaits the few, who see us as what we truly are. Beware. **'**_

**Dear readers, we need to ask. Is this message a real threat? Who are 'The Guild'? Are the vampires planning a rebellion against wizard kind?**

**This loyal reporter intends to find out!**

**As always,**

**Minerva Skeeter.**

The students turned to each other and began talking quickly. Albus met Scorpius' gaze.

"This is a bit not good," the young Potter mumbled.

Scorpius nodded but asked, 'Why would they want to rebel, if that is indeed the case?"

The dark-haired boy shrugged. "There were a lot of people pushing against magical creatures years ago. Maybe they're finally hunting them down or something."

"Or something."

Further discussion was interrupted by Rose, who had appeared by Albus' side with a letter in hand.

"It's for you," she said. "I sent a response back and explained your problem. Mum told uncle Harry and he wrote you this."

Albus stared at the letter for a moment, internally deciding if he should refuse it or not. But that seemed a bit petty to him and he wasn't a baby. He could handle it.

"Thanks," he mumbled, accepting the offering.

"I hope it all works out," she replied while ruffling his hair.

The ginger turned and went back to her own table.

Albus placed the letter in his robes, saying, "I'll read this later."

Scorpius ave him a pitying look and said, "Maybe everything will work out fine."

"I can only hope."

**A/N: Another is done!**

**I came up with the RAMC. That is not to be confused with the Royal Army Medical Corps of Britain.**

** Professor Rowling is indeed named after J.K. Rowling, though I tweaked Joanne into two names. **

** Vashti was the name of the first wife(turned traitor) of King Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther from the Bible. I always liked her name, even if I hated her as a person. Vashti the Owl, is also vain like the historical figure was, as referenced by her pleasure at the praise she received. **

**Check out my other Harry Potter fics.**

**How was it? Let me know!**

**See ya! :D**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I came up with the RAMC. That is not to be confused with the Royal Army Medical Corps of Britain.
> 
> Professor Rowling is indeed named after J.K. Rowling, though I tweaked Joanne into two names.
> 
> Vashti was the name of the first wife(turned traitor) of King Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther from the Bible. I always liked her name, even if I hated her as a person. Vashti the Owl, is also vain like the historical figure was, as referenced by her pleasure at the praise she received.
> 
> Check out my other Harry Potter fics.


	3. September 3rd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Albus learns the truth and grows a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stuff happens.

**A/N: Hello, people!**

**I don't own Harry Potter.**

**I have no beta.**

**ENJOY! **NOTE** About every chapter will begin with a flashback.******

* * *

_Albus looked around the shop, trying to mentally locate where all of the books he'd need, would be. Flourish and Blotts had always been a favorite, but now with all of the Hogwarts students bustling about, trying to find their own books, he was thinking of revising his prior assessment. It was a chaotic mess and he hated how loud some of the other children were being. Did they really have to talk so much? Shouldn't they be concentrating on finding their books and getting out of the way, instead of lingering?_

_Rose shifted beside him, clearly uncomfortable with the whole process. She clutched his jumper sleeve tightly, supposedly trying to make her worry disappear. They both sighed in unison. This would be a while and neither of them liked to waste time. Time they could be using to shop in more interesting places._

" _Should we split up? We might be able to cover more ground if we do that," he suggested, looking around._

" _I don't like the though, but I also know that it's a good idea. Meet back here in five minutes?" she asked, letting her death grip drop hesitantly. Her fingers clenched in the sleeves of her own jumper. It was nervous habit of hers and she had yet to show signs of dropping it._

" _Yeah. I'll meet you right here. Be careful."_

_They parted ways, each taking a side of the shop to peruse. They'd get double the amount of books and hopefully have everything when they met up again. Hopefully._

_Albus looked at the list in his hands._ _Standard Book of Spells Volume 1 Redux_ _. Okay, he could find that one. It shouldn't be too difficult. All he had to do was find the spellbook section of the shop and then in alphabetical order._

_He passed signs and headed into the section that he knew held what he was looking for. Several times of having been there in the past were exceedingly helpful. And of course the bloody book had to be on a shelf that was much higher than he was! He glared at it, wondering how he'd get it down._

_He looked around, completely shocked by the fact that he was the only person in this section. Wasn't he just complaining about there being too many people? Where did they all go? Right when he needed someone's help, they all disappeared. How convenient._

_He looked back to the books on the shelf that hung four feet above his head. There were no stools for him to use and he and Rose had been adamant about their parents not coming with them. They wanted to experience it all on their own. No help from mums and dads and aunts and uncles. Just them getting used to having to do things on their own. They didn't need their hands to be held after all._

_He was regretting that decision now. Dad was taller than he was. Not by much of course, but still taller. He could also do magic without getting into trouble. Mum would have been good too, she was taller than dad._

_He sighed and pulled out his wand. He knew the wand movements and the incantation by heart. Aunt Mione was very anal retentive about proper pronunciation in spellwork. She made sure they knew the information, before going to Hogwarts. She wanted to give them a chance to get used to everything. It would make life easier. She'd said something along those lines, he couldn't remember details because she was talking a mile a minute._

_Albus had never used a wand before, so he really didn't know if this would work. He hoped it would. He wasn't like Aunt Mione was when she was younger. Getting spells perfectly on the first try. Rose seemed more the type to succeed at that. Hopefully he didn't look like an idiot._

_The Ministry could not detect underage magic being performed in heavily populated magical areas. He'd seen people would were certainly not old enough to have the Trace removed from them, doing magic on each other._

_With a self assured nod, Albus pulled out his new wand._

_His eyes narrowed on the books. He then focused on his wand. His magic had always been present within him. He could sense it, in a way. He knew when spells were being used, even when they had no visible effect on their subject. He could feel the magic working. When he realized he could sense his magic, he worked hard on it._

_He was able to gather his magic into the point of his wand. When he was sure he had enough, he mumbled the words, "Wingardium Leviosa." It came out more like wing-GAR-dee-um levi-O-sa, but he still said it correctly. Aunt Mione drilled that into him at an early age._

_The books moved! They slid right off the shelf and calmly into his outstretched hand. He gaped, looking between them and the shelf. He managed his first spell, on his first try! And no one was around to bloody well see it!_

_He huffed, shaking his head to get his bangs from his face. His first real act of magic - done with a wand of course - and no one would believe that he did it! Maybe he shouldn't say anything about it then. That would actually be good, since they weren't supposed to do magic - with wands - outside of school. He knew his Mum wouldn't be happy about breaking rules. Aunt MIone would feel the same. But then Dad and Uncle Ron would probably congratulate him. Still, he wasn't going to risk it._

_The first-year-to-be placed the wand back into his pocket and left the section, looking for the next._

_Hogwarts: A History_   _was next on the list and luckily, this one was level to his head. He simply plucked the books from the shelf and continued on his way._

_He and Rose met up several minutes later, when the shop was less crowded._

" _I found all of mine, you?"_

_He nodded, looking down at the books in his arms. "We should get in line, this could take a while."_

_It did. The two had exchanged books, until both had what they each were required to bring with them. The wait took a good ten minutes of shuffling along the line as it grew shorter for them. One particular family had five children who wouldn't stop talking and giving their mother grief. She struggled to keep control of them while levitating the five stacks of books she had to purchase. Rose and Albus shared a look. Did their combined families look like that when they went out together?_

_After they patiently waited their turn in line, they were finally able to purchase their books and leave the shop, parcels packed neatly._

* * *

Albus stared at the letter from his father.

_**Dear Albus,** _

_**I will be meeting you, James, Rose, and the combined Weasleys in attendance, in the Headmistress' Office tomorrow afternoon, directly after lunch. The password will be set to 'Turtle Doves'. Everything will be explained then.** _

_**Your father.** _

Okay, so he was going to get a personal answer. Better than what he had hoped for.

His father was coming to Hogwarts to personally speak with him and his family. Wow.

* * *

Albus was nervous all the next morning. Classes went by in a haze for him, though he did remember answering questions and earning Slytherin some points. He couldn't remember said questions or how many points were earned though.

By lunch, he decided to forgo actually eating, because he was more focused on other things. He sat in the Library, working on an essay he'd been given for Potions, as he tried very hard to distract himself from the upcoming meeting. He was scared for some reason. Proven by his shaking hands and the fact that he could hear his own heartbeat. A cold feeling trickled down his spine.

He hated confrontations. Especially if James was going to be there to muck it all up. He always had to put his two Knuts worth in and ruin whatever it was that Albus was trying to say. Like Albus wasn't allowed to have his own opinion about anything.

He stood and placed his books and things in his satchel. The early bird caught the worn and he didn't want to be late. It was simply rude.

The Headmistress' Tower was only able to be entered from the third floor corridor on the left hand side. The stone gargoyle guarding the large circular staircase, was of a Gryphon. He slowly stepped onto the first step, placing himself between its wings while saying, "Turtle Doves."

The entire statue began moving, raising off the ground as the staircase lengthened and spiraled upward, before depositing him before two double doors, made of dark wood. Both had golden knockers.

He grasped a knocker and rapped it against the door a few times. There was no sound. No reaction. He looked down to his note from his father and conceded that he was about ten minutes early but shouldn't someone be there waiting?

He hesitated minutely, before opening the door and stepping inside.

The office, was probably the most fanciful of all he'd ever seen and he hadn't seen many. Still, it was large and circular, possibly more cylindrical than anything else. There were bookcases shaped to the walls and rows upon rows of portraits. Tables with silvery little bobbles floating on them and a pair of steps leading to a higher part of the adjoining room.

The eyes of the portraits followed his every move, not making his trepidation go away in the least. Didn't they have something else to do? Possibly talk to one another?

There he was, a little Slytherin first year, standing in the middle of an office and completely unprepared for the near future. He stood awkwardly, not knowing if he should take one of the seats in the other room or just stand there like an idiot and wait. He resolved to stand there and not touch a thing. He didn't want to find out if anything was spelled against foreign touch. He could only imagine the horrible things that would happen.

"Boy!"

He jumped and spun around toward where the voice was coming from. He hadn't seen anyone in the room and had assumed that he was alone except for the portraits. Had one finally decided to speak to him? Why?

"By the chairs, boy," the voice called out again.

He turned and walked deeper into the office, taking the seven stairs swiftly. He looked around again, still wondering where the voice was coming from and what the person who owned it, wanted with him.

"Over here."

He turned to his left and was faced with a portrait of Severus Snape. The former Headmaster of Hogwarts and the man whom his father seemed to find amazing. The man from the wizard card. The creepy looking man that he was named for.

"You are a Slytherin," the hook nosed man stated, obviously seeing the green on his robes and the crest on his left breast. He nodded to the man.

"You are not in trouble, are you? It is only the third day of term and Slytherin cannot afford to be affected by troublesome behavior."

Albus shook his head. "No. I was told be be here after lunch, with my other family members. I prefer to be early, sir."

Snape's dark eyes searched him thoroughly and he nodded slightly. "Your name, boy?"

Before he could answer, a man he knew all too well from old photographs, sidled up to Snape, coming in from another frame. Albus Dumbledore, his first namesake. Tall, old, with long silvery hair, and bright colored robes.

"Severus, do be a bit kinder, would you? He's just a boy. A first year at that."

Snape scoffed, "That was never an excuse when I was Head of Slytherin House. I did not allow such things and it would be prudent for him to learn such lessons early in life."

The older wizard sighed and shook his head, long silvery hair flowing from side to side. He peered over his half-mooned spectacles at Albus and smiled.

"Well then, my boy, may we know your name?"

Albus straightened instantly, chin tilting a bit. "I'm Albus, sir. Albus Severus Potter."

And there was a moment of silence as the two men in the portraits took in what he told them. Then Snape's head fell into his one hand and he mumbled while shaking his head back and forth, "Bloody sentimental Gryffindors."

Dumbledore though, was ecstatic. His eyes seemed to twinkle and Albus found himself wondering how they did that because he wasn't actually alive. He was just a bit of paint and magic. He shouldn't have been able to do that? Could portraits use magic? Oh Merlin!

"Nonsense, Severus! Why, I couldn't have chosen a better name myself!" the old wizard smiled cheerfully. Snape obviously didn't share in the excitement. He looked like he swallowed a lemon drop and moved too slow to spit it out.

The silence was interrupted by the opening of the office door and in walked James Sirius Potter. Albus found himself annoyed just by the way his brother walked. Swaggered more like. Like he owned the bloody place. Berk.

He promptly ignored his older brother, still angry for his actions the previous day. James was just a git and wasn't worth Al's time at the moment.

And James was walking around the room, touching things that weren't his and nearly giving Albus a heart attack every time something reacted to his presence. Something bad was going to happen, he just knew it.

And a moment later, in came a group of redheads and blondes.

Victoire, Dominique, Fred, Roxanne, Lucy, Molly, and Rose, who was escorting little Lily. Lily saw James first and ran over to him, throwing her arms around his midsection and smiling brightly. The others - sans Rose - were talking rather loudly over each other. Rose joined him and asked, "Too much?"

"James is touching things and he's got Lily doing it too!" Albus moaned, looking at his siblings with worry. Did they not know how to keep their hands to themselves? Was it really that difficult to respect other's belongings? Albus fretted over the thought of them getting into trouble, though he was annoyed with himself for even caring whether or not James was in trouble.

There was a gasp to his right and he saw Snape's portrait staring at his siblings in shock. Dumbledore then laid a hand on the other man's shoulder in what looked to be comfort. What was going on in their heads?

The door to the room opened again, revealing Louis, who took in the scene before him with a bland expression. He then swept up to where Rose and Albus were standing and gave them a measuring look, before turning and raising his fingers to his lips. He gave a very sharp whistle that had everyone going silent and turning to him expectedly. He stared at them imperiously, eyes sharp and unforgiving.

"Victoire Ahmes Weasley, Dominique Aria Weasley, Frederick Callum Weasley, Roxanne Beatrice Weasley, Lucille Jocasta Weasley, Molly Rhonwen Weasley, James Sirius Potter, and Lily Luna Potter, front and center beside Rose Lillian Weasley and Albus Severus Potter. Now!"

They all scrambled together, until they formed one long line that was just able to fit the width of the office. Louis was walking up and down their line slowly, eyeing each of them carefully. He had the eyes of an eagle. An icy blue that could spot any detail from a great distance. He was also unnerving to make eye contact with, especially when he was angry. He was a good Seeker because of that. And the fact that a look at him could have the strongest of men crying and wetting their trousers, was enough to cow them properly.

"Is this, how you all act when there is no adult supervision? I know for a fact that nine out of the ten out you, know very well how to comport yourselves at all times. There is only one person here who is exempt from this expectation. Albus!" Louis said suddenly, nearly making his young cousin flinch.

Albus stepped forward, breaking the even line. He turned his eyes toward his ⅛ Veela cousin and waited expectantly. Things like this happened often and family get togethers and parties. Even if only a few of them were misbehaving, he'd call them all together and give them a 'talk'.

"Who among you has the excuse of not knowing better?"

He didn't even need to think about it. "Lily," he answered quickly.

"Correct," Louis nodded. Albus sighed in relief and returned to his place in line, out from the scrutiny of those sharp eyes.

"Uncle Harry is already inside the castle and is making his way here with Headmistress McGonagall. He would be sorely disappointed at your actions. Especially you, James."

Albus looked over to his brother, who was rolling his eyes. That was not good and if he didn't watch himself, Dad would tell Mum and Mum would use that soap creating charm in his mouth. And then she'd make him do Kreacher's work. Was James an idiot?

Louis quirked a brow and stepped into James' personal space. "You are the eldest sibling in your immediate family and are expected to act accordingly. You are setting a terrible example for your little sister and brother. Lily is at an age where she will absorb the behavior patterns of the people around her and you are not helping her growth. A shame that your little brother, who has only been here three days and has had to deal with the shock of uncle's fame being thrust upon him, is handling himself better than you are."

Albus nearly groaned. That was not the way to get James to behave. Albus had always been a 'by the rules' sort of fellow and James was too often compared to him in terms of behaving. James was going to hold it against him forever because of that. It wasn't his fault that he was always worried about consequences. He didn't like getting into trouble!

Louis' further admonishment was cut off when the man they were all there to see, walked in with the Headmistress.

Albus' stomach tightened slightly at the sight of his father. He suddenly wasn't feeling so ready to get an answer.

"Louis, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry uncle, they decided to get a bit rowdy and needed a calm reprimand."

Albus watched as the center of the line parted to let his father through. Harry Potter faced them all with a nod and smiled lightly. Albus recognized it easily. Dad was embarrassed. Why?

"Thanks, Louis."

He looked around and Albus stared at the floor, promptly ignoring the man who named him.

"So, most of you are probably wondering why I came to speak to you all and I think we should be more comfortable."

He waved a wand that Albus did not recognized. White and oddly shaped. Several chairs appeared for them to sit in and they all reluctantly did so. Obviously this was story time.

* * *

Harry looked at the gathered nieces, nephews, and his own children. He leaned against the desk behind him, knowing that this story had to be told, no matter how much he didn't want to do it. Still, he owed it to his son and the rest of them deserved to know.

"So, most of you know about my fame, but you don't really know how I feel about it. I think it's time to tell you about my life."

He looked in Al's direction, but his son wasn't looking at him. He was staring at the floor. Harry sighed, hating how upset he made Albus.

"On 31 October, 1981, the Dark Lord known as Voldemort, entered my home and killed my parents who died protecting me. When he turned his wand on me, his curse failed and in turn, destroyed his own body. I was left with a scar," he explained, pointing to the scar on his forehead that had never faded.

"I was then taken from the house and flown to Surrey where I was deposited, late night in the beginning of November, on the doorstep of my mother's muggle sister, Petunia. She didn't find me till seven the next morning and told me there was only a blanket and a letter. She said she wasn't given a chance to not take me in.

Over the next ten years I was reminded that I was a burden to her life every day. She made me live in a cupboard under the stairs, forced me to clean and cook for her family and allowed her son to bully me constantly. I had no friends and my entire neighborhood hated me because of what she told them. She also had me believing that my parents were degenerates who died in a car crash."

He saw the older years sneer at that. They understood how callous the lie was. The younger years were frowning, but they surely didn't understand how hurtful Petunia's words had been.

Harry nodded.

"I didn't learn of magic until Hagrid had to physically track us down and hand it to me, because my uncle tried running away and burning the Hogwarts letters. He then proceeded to do what no one ever had. Give me my first birthday gift, my first ever birthday cake, let alone a cake period, told me I was magical, informed me that my parents died protecting me and that they loved me, and turned my entire life upside down in the course of an hour.

My relatives lied to me for  _ten years_  and unjustly withheld food from me for no reason. I was always punished for things I was certain I didn't do. I then learn that the people I had grown up not particularly liking, had been wonderful people and they cared about me, I felt terrible.

And then I learned during my trip in Diagon Alley, that I was famous for something I didn't remember. There I was, a child hated by everyone in my life, suddenly the focal point of others' attention. They knew who I was. They wanted to shake my hand. They smiled at me. It was  _odd_. And then I had a vault from my parents. I didn't care about the wealth, just the fact that people I had spent years disliking for all the wrong reasons, cared about me enough to put so much away for me."

That moment had been a big deal in his life. One didn't just walk away from revelations such as those without emotional problems and he had many at that time. It took a while for him to come to grips with it all. It had hurt.

"My uncle locked all of my new things away until September first. I was left to learn what I could on the train ride there. I met a ginger who proceeded to inform me what Quidditch was and explained that chocolate frogs weren't really frogs. I was told that Slytherin's weren't good and only evil people come from that House. And the self-centered blond I had met in Diagon Alley only proved his words in my eyes when he barged into our compartment and was extremely rude. Pointing out my first human friend's hand me down clothing, which I saw nothing wrong with because I was forced to wear my cousin's hand me downs. He insulted the boy's family and their financial issues. I had grown up with nothing and didn't know I had any money to my name. I was unimpressed and I denied his 'attempt' at friendship.

My knowledge of the Hogwarts Houses was limited and it was my new friend and that blond, that decided for me. I didn't want to be there. If I was better informed, I wouldn't have denied the House when the Sorting Hat wanted to put me there. But I was given a biased view and from then on, I was Gryffindor."

He knew they all understood that. He'd made sure that Mione and Ron had told them that it was okay to be in Slytherin. That the House had changed and that there was nothing wrong with it.

"My life as the Boy-Who-Lived, was off and on. People liking me and exalting me one minute, then defaming me the next. I was a scapegoat for eighty percent of Wizarding Britain. I was Good, then the evil Heir of Slytherin, then a poor child being hunted by a mad man, then an Attention-Seeking-Brat, then a Liar, then the Chosen One who was going to kill the Dark Lord and save them all, then the Undesirable No. 1, and then the Savior-Who-Truly-Lived."

Harry gave an unamused smile. "The Wizarding World is unsurprisingly filled with backstabbers and people who are willing to sit back and allow a child to do the dirty work. I would have faced Voldemort regardless if there was a prophecy that decided my life for me. It was just annoying knowing that barely twenty percent of the magical world was going to help me. I didn't do it on my own and those who helped have been given proper attention, I made sure of it."

He turned to look at the portrait of Severus Snape, who was staring at him evenly. He looked slightly ill and annoyed. Dumbledore, who was sitting beside him within the portrait, was forlorn and apologetic.

"Fame is a fickle food and fleeting. It isn't everything it is cracked up to be. I didn't want you all to assume that you had the right to anything, just by being related to people who are known all around the magical world as heros. I do realize that we could have done everything differently, but to be honest, I had forgotten what it was like being a child.

People making decisions about my life without asking my permission of at least informing me about them first. I hated it. And I hadn't realized that what I was doing, was exactly the same. I lied to you all about my life. At least elevens years of lies for each of you and for that I am sorry. I felt that everything that happened in my years at school, would give you some hint as to what my life was like and I couldn't risk it. I'm sorry."

* * *

Albus had read sad stories. He's read books that made him angry at the world. He'd never before heard of a story like his Dad's and he felt himself becoming annoyed. He was angry and feeling betrayed only half an hour ago and now he couldn't help but agree with his Dad's actions, though they could have been done better.

But now he knew about it all. Now he knew what spurned his family into lying. And yes, the lying had hurt, but he felt that it was at least for a smart reason, not just to be spiteful.

It was sad to say, but James was cocky and arrogant and the way he talked of their Dad's fame, had Albus believing what the man had said about feeling obligated because they had famous family. James was a bit of a snob and walked about as if he owned the world. James was the kind of person Dad had tried to stop them all from becoming, and he had mostly succeeded.

He sighed. The Grey Lady had been right. Her mother had done what she did for a good reason, just as Albus' Dad did the same. But in this instance, Albus had the chance to accept his father's apology and move on with life, whereas the Grey Lady, had suffered centuries for her actions.

The boy sighed, knowing that he had to be mature and accept the truth for what it was. This was a part of growing up. People were going to lie and deceive him and he would have the choice to either repudiate them, or accept them and forgive their trespasses against him. Growing up was annoying, but he was getting there. So far, he was much further along than James was.

The others had been reassuring his father while he was thinking. He was the last person and everyone was staring at him when he finally came back to himself.

Here came the being mature part of the day.

"I'm not happy about this," he said, realizing that his voice was shaking. "I seemed to be the only one to notice the lies and am the only one still affected. However, a certain someone explained some things to me and I have taken her advice. I understand your reasoning and I accept that you thought your were doing what was best. I can forgive this, but I want it to be perfectly clear that I am a person, I have feelings and I am allowed to have my own. Bloody.  _Opinion_."

He fixed James with a look as he finished his small monologue. Maybe the prat would pull his head out of his arse now.

Dad obviously noticed the tensions between them, because he took their attention once again. "James Sirius, I know that you are rather arrogant for your age and you are making a large mistake, because the last James Potter became a bully that a good percentage of the school did not like. It took me years to learn what he was truly like and even longer to stop despising him and realize that he wasn't one dimensional. He grew up and became a wonderful man true, but you are turning into what he was. A bully, and if your own siblings can't stand to be near you because of your attitude, you will eventually push your whole family away. Do you want that?"

Albus looked down, not even bothering to look at his brother. James would never learn because he very opinionated.

The Weasleys were dismissed, leaving the four Potters and the Headmistress.

"Lily, I'm sorry you had to find out this way," Dad said to the little redhead.

She smiled, "I already knew."

And they were all staring at her, waiting for an answer.

She shrugged. "I've used your Invisibility Cloak a lot, you never knew."

Albus' jaw dropped. That sneaky little… Dad looked ready to burst into giggles.

"Of course you're brilliant like that."

Albus stiffly accepted the hug his father gave him and nodded respectfully to the Headmistress and then to Severus Snape and Dumbledore, before leaving the office with James in tow.

He did not give his brother a chance to speak, because he was swiftly walking down the corridor, ignoring him.

The Slytherin Common Room was a welcome sight and he sighed in relief as he sat down on a plush sofa.

"A tense meeting?"

He jerked in surprise, having not heard anyone.

"Careful, Potter."

Scorpius sat down across from him and crossed his legs. "Everything is all worked out now?"

"How?" Albus asked, unable to find the words to form a complete thought.

"You left his letter open on your bedside table."

Well then.

"Fine. Everything is all okay now. James is still a prat though."

"Not surprising, he is older and a bit of a git, according to my cousin Daphne."

"Not a 'bit', he's completely a git."

The two shared a chuckle.

"Do we have a lot of assignments?" Albus asked, realizing that he hadn't paid much attention all day.

"No."

"Oh, good."

"Nott wants to play Wizard's Chess, are you game?"

Albus looked up. He was good at that game. "Bring it."

* * *

**A/N: Another one done! I made up the middle names for everyone that wasn't specified.**

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How was it? Let me know.
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**Author's Note:**

> If you have questions, feel free to ask! :)


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